


Too precious to be left alone

by azure_lemon



Series: Loki the Genie [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Genie/Djinn, Confessions, Established Relationship, Genie Loki, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, M/M, Odin (Marvel)'s A+ Parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:40:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26596183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azure_lemon/pseuds/azure_lemon
Summary: Loki and Tony enjoy their time together, Loki opens up about his past and Tony has big plans for the future.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Series: Loki the Genie [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1916968
Comments: 6
Kudos: 56





	Too precious to be left alone

**Author's Note:**

> This part is more serious and focuses on the slightly different topic than two previous ones. Domestic life of Frostiron. Genieiron?

Tony Stark wonders whether the life can get better. He never expected to have a happy ending, but apparently due to some mysterious doings or maybe the sheer coincidence or the stroke of luck he might see the light in the end of the tunnel. For right now, he doesn’t have any reason to complain. Okay, maybe if he tried, but he refuses to do so. Small joys, yes. He deserves them and won’t apologize for thinking about himself. He’s sitting on the terrace in one of numerous Stark residences, admiring the view on the beach and enjoying an alcoholic beverage. They world is safe (as long as he manages to keep Loki and Strange far from one another) and Stark Industries are safe as well in the hands of more suitable person for that job than Tony would ever be, so why not leave New York behind and go for a little holiday in less urban surroundings? Loki said with his usual enthusiasm (or rather lack of thereof) that it doesn’t matter, but the mortal could asses he wants to go for it as well.

So here they went. Tony is sipping his drink reflecting on how little he still knows about his boyfriend, who, for a change, is currently admiring the landscape in silence.

‘’Is it possible to ask a genie for love?’’ Asks the billionaire out of blue. Loki turns his head to him in surprise.

‘’It is, but I don’t know any case in which it ended happily. The consequences usually are dire, as magic can’t produce the real bond, just mindless infatuation,’’ he explains flatly.

‘’Well, I didn’t ask my genie for love, but I was granted it,’’ the mortal flashes him his trademark smile. Loki’s corner of the mouth twitches in the amusement he doesn’t bother to hide.

‘’A charmer, aren’t you?’’

‘’What can I say, you make me like that,’’ shots back Tony, getting immediately into flirtatious mode.

‘’Okay, Anthony, what do you want from me?’’ Inquires the genie.

The human pretends to be highly offended by this lack of trust in the purity of his intentions.

‘’Can’t I be just nice to my boyfriend?’’

‘’It would be highly suspicious,’’ answers Loki with straight-face.

‘’Suit yourself, Princess. Believe in what you want, when I’m actually doing my best to be a good boyfriend and so. I made you whiskey.’’

‘’Mar Stark, let me remind you you’ve asked Dum-E to fix the drinks,’’ says Jarvis. ‘’Is this why you took him here, sir?’’

Loki chuckles while Tony frowns.

‘’Jarvis, I’m half-mind to mute you. How dare you?’’

‘’It looks like your own creation outsmarted you, human,’’ notices the genie.

‘’Kids these days…You raise them the best you can, you give them your time and in the end they’re all ungrateful brats who start mouthing off as fast as they can and turn their backs on you,’’ the human shakes his head in the fake outrage and sadness caused by the corruption if these bad, bad times.

‘’Admit it, you would be awfully disappointed if your AI wouldn’t have a bit of the spirit,’’ chuckles Loki, who is enjoying himself more and more with every minute.

‘’You’ve got me there, Bottle Guy.’’

‘’You can be proud for yourself,’’ says the genie in more serious tone. ‘’You achieved a lot, even for a human.’’

‘’Lolo, you almost managed to be nice this time. You couldn’t stop yourself from that little jab, don’t you?’’

‘’Maybe I didn’t want too, hmm?’’

‘’Of course,’’ snickers Tony. ‘’Why it doesn’t surprise me? Gosh, I must be a masochist, sitting here with you.’’ 

‘’And you love every minute of it,’’ points out the immortal with the cheeky grin the human adores so much.

‘’You know, this is a human thing. Everybody wants to be missed and remembered after they’re gone. Our time here is limited.’’

‘’The human lifespan is so short,’’ says Loki melancholically, eyes fixed on the waves crashing the shore. The seagull’s cry might be heard somewhere in afar. ‘’Just a blink of an eye.’’

‘’Probably for you, yes. Gosh, you’re so old,’’ answers the inventor. ‘’Ancient basically. I’ve known about it before, but I don’t think my mind processed it fully. For all the strange things I’ve witnessed, all the things I’ve been through with and without you, this might be the craziest.’’

‘’Except of the part I’m a magical being?’’ Asks genie trickily.

‘’Let’s say exactly as crazy, Lolo.’’

‘’Fair compromise,’’ agrees Loki.

‘’When we’ll start to show ourselves in public, people would look at me like a cradle robber, while in fact it’s a complete opposite.’’

It’s so ironical it almost makes Tony laugh at the mere concept.

‘’Look who’s the old man now,’’ smirks the genie.

‘’That’s the low blow, Fairy. So that you know, I’m in my prime.’’

This remark prompts Loki to show all his white teeth in the broad smile.

‘’Okay, this is indeed funny, mortal.’’

‘’Too bad, cause it wasn’t supposed too. Lokes, are you dosing me with love potion or other magical stuff? I can’t believe I’ve fallen for you out of my own accord.’’

‘’There’s nothing wrong with me, human,’’ huffs slightly hurt genie.

‘’There must be something wrong with me, because all I wanted was a supporting partner and I’ve got you, the literal opposite of that.’’

‘’Cry me a river, you softie,’’ hits back unruffled Loki. ‘’What do I look like to you, a big teddy bear? Is this why humans have families? For support?’’

‘’It’s one of many reasons, yeah. Except of those strictly biological ones. It’s about love, belonging, support, trust. I guess so, cause my own family life wasn’t model one.’’

‘’You’re my family now,’’ says immortal, but there’s a hint of sadness in his tone.

Tony recalls their first conversation.

‘’You know, when we first met, when you came out of the bottle, you mentioned something about your family.’’ The inventor remembers distinctly what words were used back then, but he chooses to pretend dumber than he is in order to get more information from his boyfriend. Intuition suggests him to tread carefully.

_Not anymore._

Two words filled with sadness and caution not to dwell.

‘’I had a family once,’’ starts to speak Loki, only to pause a moment later. ‘’You know, it’s not an easy subject.’’

Of course Tony wants to find out more, his inner quest of knowledge kicking in once again, but even he isn’t insensitive enough to cause so much pain, especially that he can’t guess what exactly went wrong with genie’s family.

‘’Don’t tell me if you don’t want,’’ he forces himself to offer.

The magical being shakes his head sadly.

‘’No, you deserve to know. For what you’ve told me, your family was less than ideal, too.’’

_Oh, so this is this kind of problem. Yeah, Tony can probably relate, even though Howard wasn’t strictly abusive, just indifferent. Modern psychology says it’s mostly the same, but it was a few decades ago and nobody cared. He was a well-cared of child by the standards back then. He lost he number of times he wished to have been born into less wealthy family, but the one with more devoted parents, affection and family bonding._

Loki takes a death breath before carrying on.

‘’Or maybe it was. Yes, it was, actually. Mother, father and their golden child. My brother, Thor. And there was me, always an outsider, never fitting in this happy family picture.’’

The mortal doesn’t know what to say.

‘’Did you expect something worse?’’ Asks the genie. ‘’Do you think I’m wallowing in self-pity for no reason?’’

‘’I would never assume so, Lo,’’ assures Tony.

‘’You know, this is actually the relief, to finally have it off my chest. I haven’t told this story anyone before. It’s not the secret among genies what happened, but nobody ever asked about how it looked like from my perspective. Why should they, after all. As I’ve said, always an outcast.’’

‘’You’re the most precious outcast I’ve ever met, Loki.’’

‘’Thanks, Anthony. Anyway, back to the point. My father, Odin, is the Head Genie. He wields the most power among us all. Every genie is obliged to obey him.’’

The story got interrupted by a yelp of surprise on the engineer’s side.

‘’Are you a prince or something like that?’’

‘’I guess you can call me that.’’

‘’Oh, my, I’ve been living with a royalty for months and I didn’t even know.’’

‘’You’ve couldn’t have known, so consider yourself forgiven,’’ says Loki generously.

‘’Prince Loki,’’ muses Tony. ‘’Oh, I like that. Am I supposed to bow and kneel? Let me warn you, it has never been my strong suit.’’

The genie giggles.

‘’I know. I think I may let it slide as long as you’ll be sufficiently respectful in other areas.’’

‘’This might be a difficult task, Prince Loki the Genie, Your Royal Highness,’’ says the human in the mock-courteous tone, making in the same time a caricature of the bow. ‘’Have mercy on your humble subject.’’

‘’I may consider that,’’ replies Loki gracefully, pretending he’s thinking hard. ‘’I’m afraid it might affect my authority, though. How it would look like, a Prince going soft?’’

Tony feels a surge of pride going through him like electricity. He managed to lighten the mood. Not really a planned action, but hey, it worked. He muses about that when it hits him.

‘’Wait, if you’re a member you royal family, does it make me a consort?’’

‘’Probably, yes, Prince Anthony.’’

‘’I love the way you say these words.’’

‘’Anthony, Prince Consort.’’

‘’Congratulations on that, Mr Stark,’’ chimes in Jarvis.

‘’Thank you, J. I’ve got myself into some genie structures. This is getting better and better. Such a pity my old man didn’t make it too see me today.’’

‘’I’m sure Mr Howard would be extremely proud of the man you grown to be, Mr Stark,’’ replies the AI.

‘’We both know he wouldn’t, so spare me and Loki this. Hey, I’m consorting with a genie. I highly doubt it would be a reason to be happy for him.’’

Jarvis voice booms unperturbed.

‘’I’m convinced he loved you, Mr Stark.’’

‘’It must be a tough love than. Thank you, J, but that’s enough about him. We’re here to hear more about Loki’s family.’’

‘’Actually, I first came here to drink a shot in peace,’’ remarks the genie.

‘’Plans change. Okay, so if I’m a consort, what does it make Jarvis?’’

Loki shrugs.

‘’I don’t think there was even a problem like that to solve in the whole history.’’

‘’Whoa, we’ve got a precedent.’’

‘’It doesn’t matter anyway,’’ mutters the genie glumly. ‘’The thing is, all genies, well, except me, of course, are bound to obey human wishes. Odin only rules when it comes to, let’s call it, inside affairs. Organization of work and stuff.’’

‘’You see?’’ Cheer him up Tony. ‘’Your old man is still bound are you’re free as a bird.’’

‘’Oh, yes,’’ replies Loki slowly, his gaze darkening for a brief moment. ‘’The best revenge I could have imagined.’’

‘’You vindictive little thing,’’ comments the mortal. ‘’Teach me, Your Highness.’’

‘’However, I’m pretty sure he would be even more disgusted with me if he knew.’’

‘’Sorry, Lo, I don’t get his reasoning. Why is that so?’’

‘’This is what we argued about. Fervently and multiple times until he told me not to call myself his son anymore, because no son of his would even think about something so disastrous. He told me I’m not a true genie. All this because I tried to convince him to fight for our freedom, to not be mindless beings, forced to grant even more evil and dark, stupid wishes to humans without a right to say no.’’

‘’Perfectly reasonable of you,’’ agreed Tony. ‘’Maybe your old man has some hidden desires to be ordered round or be humiliated. Maybe both of that. People got strange kinks, you know. Hey, I’m not judging. Just saying.’’

‘’Oh, trust me, I’m not offended,’’ snorts Loki. ‘’Maybe you’ve got the point, because it’s still a mystery to me why he acted like that. Or maybe he simply wouldn’t stand me contradicting his orders and was obstinate just for the sake of it. Who knows. He was always narrow-minded.’’

The genie basically spits the last words and the human thinks about how much he understands him.

‘’What about your brother? He asks instead.

‘’Oh yes, my great, older brother.’’ Loki’s tone is harsh, but there’s no more malice in his eyes, present there when he was talking about his father. ‘’Thor was and probably still is the perfect genie, always happy to grant a wish, saying that I should be happy too with every opportunity to make a mortal’s life better. A service with the smile. Poor Thor, always so cheerful, so kind-hearted, loved by everyone, but so blind.’’

The immortal stops speaking for a moment to take a gulp of whiskey.

‘’You know, I don’t even blame him for being who he is. Maybe he was just created that way. I can’t be mad at him, not after all this centuries. The same with my Mother.’’

‘’You had a mother,’’ says Tony, unsure why he is started by this piece of information. It should be perfectly logical, after all.

‘’Her name is Frigga,’’ Loki’s voice breaks down. ‘’I loved her, I still do. I’ve got used to being on my own, but I sometimes still miss her. Her and Thor. She understood me better than anyone else, but when the conflict between me and Odin intensified, she said that’s heartbreaking, she tried to convince him to think over my arguments, but finally she said she just had to took his side. Same as Thor. He just stood there, listening numbly as Odin tried to squish me with that condemning look and did nothing. Is it pathetic that I still miss them?’’

‘’I think it makes you human.’’

Loki snorts, sounding instantly more like his usual self.

‘’I’m not human.’’

‘’But you have feelings,’’ points out the inventor gently. ‘’You’ve been terribly hurt. I bet Thor and Frigga miss you too and screw Odin.’’

‘’They’re happier without me. It’s not like we had much of the family life anyway. You know, granting wishes is time-consuming.’’

‘’I don’t believe you.’’

‘’Tony, it is and you spent the rest of your time sitting inside the bottle ready to be summoned at any moment.’’

‘’Nah, I’m not talking about that. I don’t believe anybody can be happier without you being round. Tell me, my Prince, is there a way to get to talk to Mr Dickface and give him a piece of my mind? If he’s so happy listening to humans, he will be thrilled.’’

‘’I can summon his bottle,’’ replies the genie. ‘’But this would show him I still care about what he thinks about me.’’

‘’Yeah, right. Forget about him, than.’’ The billionaire raises him glass in the gesture of toast. ‘’To the new beginnings.’’

‘’To the new beginnings,’’ echoes Loki, mimicking the gesture.

It reminds Tony about another crucial matter.

‘’Lo, I’ve got one more question.’’

‘’You never needed my permission to ask,’’ comments the magical being.

‘’Dude, I’m just trying to be considerate. Can genie die?’’

Loki snorts in bitter amusement.

‘’Considerate, sure. To the point, it’s complicated. It rarely happens, but yes, if the genie is so fed up with their life, they can choose to disappear. They’re gone. This is the equivalent of human death, I guess. Why are you asking? Are you done with me already?’’

‘’Just the opposite,’’ grins Tony. ‘’I’ve been thinking a lot of recently and…’’

‘’Whoa, that’s something new,’’ interrupts him genie, sarcasm heavy in his voice.

‘’Shut up, Mischief, and be serious for once.’’

‘’You’re the one telling me to be serious?’’

‘’Yes. Where did I stop? Anyway, I came to the conclusion. What you’ve said today about human lifespan was the final straw. You’re freaking right ad I have an absolute certainty like never in my life. Okay, maybe except that one time I just knew you have to stay or all my colors would fade away.

‘’Poetic, Tony. You’ve just started considering yourself a royalty and your way of speaking is becoming flowery.’’

‘’Great. Because, my genie dearest, what I’m trying to say, is that I’m not wishing to go in the blink and leave you heartbroken. Loki, I wish to live as long as you, forever and ever, till the end of time or until you decide you have enough and we’ll both go in peace. I wish to spend the rest of my days with you, no matter what happens.’’

‘’I can’t grant you that,’’ yells startled Loki. ‘’This is too big, Anthony. I don’t even know if it can be unswished. You don’t know that you’re meddling with.’’

‘’Never stopped me before,’’ shrugs human.

‘’You’re basically asking for immortality and that’s an awfully long time. I’m not choosing to die soon if at all, let me warn you.’’

‘’Great for me, because in this perspective, the party has just started.’’

‘’Tony, you’re binding yourself to me for life and this is the much longer you could even imagine.’’

‘’That’s the point. C’mon Lokes, you know how stubborn I can be what I choose to. Like a donkey.’’

‘’Like the whole herd of donkeys,’’ corrects him the genie. ‘’One is definitely not enough.’’

‘’You see?’’ Asks still-the-mortal. ‘’No use to fight it. Unless you don’t want me for so long?’’

‘’Mr Loki, please agree,’’ pleads Jarvis. ‘’He really wants this.’’

‘’I’m impressed by her loyalty,’’ grins Tony. ‘’Now I’m glad I didn’t mute her.’’

‘’Thank you, Mr Stark,’’ answers the AI dutifully.

Loki stands and steps closer to his boyfriend.

‘’Give me your hand,’’ he asks.

‘’Why?’’ Inquires the former superhero, standing up too.

‘’I just want you to be close,’’ explains Loki with a shy smile, which Tony finds adorable. ‘’Your last chance to back down. You can’t know what to expect.’’

‘’I think, Your Royal Highness, you had enough opportunities to show me what to expect from you. And the rest? Whatever happens, I can live through that.’’

‘’You’re the tough man, Anthony. Resilient.’’

‘’Hey, Man of Iron, after all?’’ reminds him gleefully the engineer.

‘’Okay.’’ Loki can barely hold his nerves. It takes all his willpower to utter the next sentence. ‘’Say it.’’

‘’Loki, My Prince, My Love, Light of my life, Honorary Kitten, my Personal Wonder, I wish for you to grant me an eternal youth and the life as long as your, so I can become your life-long partner.’’

‘’Beautifully said,’’ notes the genie. Tony realizes there’s a tear glimmering in his eye. He takes his beloved hands and squeezes them gently. Loki inhales deeply, fixing his eyes on the marble floor of the terrace.

‘’Done,’’ he says after a while, slowly raising his head. ‘’You’ve got the knack for the draining wishes, do you know that?’’

‘’Is this all?’’ Asks bewildered billionaire. ‘’I’ve expected something, I don’t know, more funky? Like the orchestra in the background, drums, trumpets, fireworks, whole nine yards?’’

‘’Sorry to disappoint, you ungrateful brat,’’ huffs Loki in rasped voice. ‘’Congratulations, you’re immortal. It was the most daring wish I have been ever asked to grant.’’

Physically nothing changed, but Tony indeed feels different. Now everything’s brighter, more promising, better. Maybe it’s placebo, but he couldn’t care less. He can virtually feel the endorphins moving in his veins. At least Loki is still the same, not changed a bit, still as perfect as in the day Tony first laid his eyes on him.

Without the second thought, he pulls his boyfriend into the fierce embrace.

‘’Now we have literally all the time in the world,’’ he murmurs, burying his nose into genie’s dark strands and kissing them tenderly.

‘’You know, eternity seems to be a whole lot better when you’ve got someone to spent it with you,’’ replies Loki, passionately kissing back. ‘’Someone special.’’

‘’You’ll be yelling at me again within a week,’’ remarks Tony cheekily.

‘’It’s touching you think I’ll wait so long,’’ shots back Loki. ‘’So, for the new beginning, yeah?’’

‘’For the new beginning,’’ nods the newly-turned-immortal-former-superhero.

Somewhere in the distance, the seagull cries again.


End file.
